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Biblical Figure Demonstrating Discernment in Decision-Making

Biblical Figure Demonstrating Discernment in Decision-Making

Solomon, the third king of Israel, is renowned for his wisdom and discernment in decision-making, as exemplified in the biblical account of his judgment between two harlots claiming the same infant [11]. This narrative showcases Solomon's ability to make a wise and just decision, demonstrating his discernment.

The biblical account of Solomon's judgment is found in 1 Kings 3:16-28. Two harlots came to Solomon, each claiming that the living child was hers, and the dead child was the other's. Solomon's solution was to propose dividing the living child in two, giving half to each woman. The true mother, out of love for her child, begged Solomon to spare the child's life and give it to the other woman, while the false claimant agreed to the king's proposal [11]. This story illustrates Solomon's wisdom and discernment in decision-making.

According to John Calvin, discernment is a key aspect of wisdom, and Solomon's judgment demonstrates this quality. Calvin notes that "the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment" [11]. This wisdom is not limited to intellectual understanding but involves a deep understanding of human nature and the ability to make just decisions.

The biblical book of Proverbs, attributed to Solomon, provides further insight into the importance of discernment in decision-making. Proverbs 4:13 exhorts readers to "take hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life" [10]. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary on this verse notes that the figure of laying hold with the hand suggests earnest effort, highlighting the importance of diligence and careful consideration in decision-making.

In Proverbs 1:24, the writer describes wisdom as calling out to those who are simple, urging them to turn from their foolish ways. The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown commentary on this verse notes that the image of wisdom stretching out her hand denotes earnestness, especially in beseeching [15]. This emphasizes the importance of seeking wisdom and discernment in decision-making.

The Reformed tradition, as represented by John Calvin and Charles Hodge, emphasizes the importance of discernment in decision-making. Calvin notes that human beings are not capable of directing their own steps, and that God is the one who guides us [19]. Hodge highlights the role of reason in decision-making, noting that it is a key aspect of human nature that distinguishes us from the lower animals [20].

In the context of biblical decision-making, discernment involves careful consideration of the circumstances, a deep understanding of human nature, and a reliance on God's guidance. The biblical figure of Solomon demonstrates these qualities, and his judgment between the two harlots remains a powerful example of discernment in decision-making.

The biblical emphasis on discernment is also reflected in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament. Proverbs 14:15 notes that "the simple believes every word, but the prudent person gives thought to his steps" [5]. This highlights the importance of careful consideration and discernment in decision-making.

In conclusion, Solomon's judgment between the two harlots remains a powerful example of discernment in decision-making, demonstrating the importance of wisdom, careful consideration, and reliance on God's guidance. The biblical emphasis on discernment is reflected in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament, and continues to be an important aspect of Christian decision-making.

SOURCES: [1] Torrey's Topical Textbook — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [2] Torrey's Topical Textbook — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [3] Hitchcock's Bible Names — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [4] Jude — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [5] Torrey's Topical Textbook — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [6] Torrey's Topical Textbook — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [7] Ecclesiastes — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [8] Smith's Bible Dictionary — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [9] Isaiah — TIER 1 (factual/linguistic) [10] Proverbs (Presbyterian) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [11] Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [12] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [13] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [14] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [15] Proverbs (Presbyterian) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [16] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [17] CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [18] Proverbs (Presbyterian) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [19] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [20] CCEL (Reformed) — TIER 2 (interpretive) [21] Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) — TIER 2 (interpretive)

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Lamb, The — The young of the flock -- Ex 12:5; Eze 45:15. Described as Patient. -- Isa 53:7. Playful. -- Ps 114:4,6. Exposed to danger from wild beasts -- 1Sa 17:34. The shepherd's care for -- Isa 40:11. Used for Food. -- De 32:14; 2Sa 12:4. Clothing. -- Pr 27:26. Sacrifice. -- 1Ch 29:21; 2Ch 29:32. Considered a great delicacy -- Am 6:4. Offered in sacrifice Males. -- Ex 12:5. Females. -- Nu 6:14. While sucking. -- 1Sa 7:9. At a year old. -- Ex 12:5; Nu 6:14. From the earliest times. -- Ge 4:4; 22:7,8. Every morning and evening. -- Ex 29:38,39; Nu 28:3,4. At the pass”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Early Rising — Christ set an example of -- Mr 1:35; Lu 21:38; Joh 8:2. Requisite for Devotion. -- Ps 5:3; 59:16; 63:1; 88:13; Isa 26:9. Executing God's commands. -- Ge 22:3. Discharge of daily duties. -- Pr 31:15. Neglect of, leads to poverty -- Pr 6:9-11. Practised by the wicked, for Deceit. -- Pr 27:14. Executing plans of evil. -- Mic 2:1. Illustrates spiritual diligence -- Ro 13:11,12. Exemplified Abraham. -- Ge 19:27. Isaac, &c. -- Ge 26:31. Jacob. -- Ge 28:18. Joshua &c. -- Jos 3:1. Gideon. -- Jdj 6:38. Samuel. -- 1Sa 15:12. David. -- 1Sa 17:20. Mary, &c. -- Mr ”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eleph — learning”
  4. Jude “On some have compassion, making a distinction, -- Jude 1:22”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prudence — Exhibited in the manifestation of God's grace -- Eph 1:8. Exemplified by Christ -- Isa 52:13; Mt 21:24-27; 22:15-21. Intimately connected with wisdom -- Pr 8:12. The wise celebrated for -- Pr 16:21. They who have Get knowledge. -- Pr 18:15. Deal with knowledge. -- Pr 13:16. Look well to their goings. -- Pr 14:15. Understand the ways of God. -- Ho 14:9. Understand their own ways. -- Pr 14:8. Crowned with knowledge. -- Pr 14:18. Not ostentatious of knowledge. -- Pr 12:23. Foresee and avoid evil. -- Pr 22:3. Are preserved by it. -- Pr 2:11. Suppress angry fee”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Resignation — Christ set and example of -- Mt 26:39-44; Joh 12:27; 18:11. Commanded -- Ps 37:7; 46:10. Should be exhibited in Submission to the will of God. -- 2Sa 15:26; Ps 42:5,11; Mt 6:10. Submission to the sovereignty of God in his purposes. -- Ro 9:20,21. The prospect of death. -- Ac 21:13; 2Co 4:16-5:1. Loss of goods. -- Job 1:15,16,21. Loss of children. -- Job 1:18,19,21. Chastisements. -- Heb 12:9. Bodily suffering. -- Job 2:8-10. The wicked are devoid of -- Pr 19:3. Exhortation to -- Ps 37:1-11. Motives to God's greatness. -- Ps 46:10. God's love. -- Heb 12:”
  7. Ecclesiastes “Sapientia hominis lucet in vultu ejus, et potentissimus faciem illius commutabit. -- Ecclesiastes 8:1”
  8. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Ant — (Heb. nemalah). This insect is mentioned twice in the Old Testament: in (Proverbs 6:6; 30:25) In the former of these passages the diligence of this insect is instanced by the wise man as an example worthy of imitation; in the second passage the ant's wisdom is especially alluded to; for these insects "though they be little on the earth, are exceeding wise." (For a long time European commentators and naturalists denied that ants stored up grain for future use, as was asserted in Proverbs but while this is true of most of the 104 European species, two of those spe”
  9. Isaiah “Isaiah 28:26 (Geneva1599) — For his God doeth instruct him to haue discretion, and doeth teach him.”
  10. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 4:13: (Compare Pro 3:18). The figure of laying hold with the hand suggests earnest effort.”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — A LETTER FROM ORIGEN TO AFRICANUS. (part 12): which said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: for she is the mother of it. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the face of the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do judgment."[4] For if we were at liberty to speak in this scoffing way of the Scriptures in use in the Churches, we should rather compare this story of the two harlots to the play of Philistion than that of the chaste Susanna. And just as the peo”
  12. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 10:4 11:19 11:19 11:19-20 11:26 12:13 13:9 13:9 14:9 14:14 16:20 16:20 18:4 18:7-8 18:9 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:21 18:21 18:21-22 18:23 18:23 18:24 18:24 18:27 18:31 18:32 18:32 20:10 20:12 20:43-44 22:25-26 28:10 29:4 34:4 34:23 34:24 34:25 36:22 36:22 36:22 36:25 36:26 36:26 36:26-27 36:32 37:4 37:24-26 48:21 48:35 Daniel 2:21 2:34 2:37 2:37-38 2:44 4:17 4:25 4:27 4:27 5:18-19 6:22 7:9 7:10 7:10 7:10 7:25 9 9:5 9:7 9:18 9:18-20 9:20 9:24 9:24 9:26-27 9:27 10:13 10:13 10:20 10:21 12:1 12:1-2 12:2 12:3 Hosea 1:11 2:2 2:9 ”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 2:19 2:21 2:24 4:3 4:6 4:8 4:11-12 4:14 5:12 5:12 5:13 5:14 5:15 5:16 5:16 5:16 5:17-18 1 Peter 1:2 1:2 1:2 1:3 1:5 1:5 1:9 1:11 1:12 1:12 1:15 1:16 1:18-19 1:18-19 1:19 1:19-20 1:20 1:21 1:21 1:21 1:21 1:22 1:23 1:23 1:23 2:5 2:9 2:9 2:9 2:13 2:17 2:17 2:18 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:24 2:25 2:25 3:18 3:19 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 3:21 4:3 4:3 4:8 4:8 4:11 4:11 4:14 4:17 5:1 5:2 5:2 5:3 5:5 5:6 5:7 5:8 5:8 5:9 2 Peter 1:4 1:4 1:4 1:5 1:13-14 1:14 1:14 1:19 2:1 2:4 2:4 3:4 3:8 3:9 3:16 11:9 1 John 1:1 1:7 1:7 1:7 1:9 1:9 1:10 2:1 2:1 2”
  14. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 76: it appeared that his calling was without repentance. When God ever and anon gathered his Church from among the sons of Abraham rather than from profane nations, he had respect to his covenant, which, when violated by the great body, he restricted to a few, that it might not entirely fail. In short, that common adoption of the seed of Abraham was a kind of visible image of a greater benefit which God deigned to bestow on some out of many. This is the reason why Paul so carefully distinguishes between the sons of Abraham according to”
  15. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 1:24: stretched . . . hand--Earnestness, especially in beseeching, is denoted by the figure (compare Job 11:13; Psa 68:31; Psa 88:9).”
  16. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 4:5-6 4:6 4:11 4:12 4:18 Colossians 1:2-3 1:4 1:5 1:5 1:9-10 1:12 1:13 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:14 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:15 1:16 1:16 1:16-18 1:17 1:18 1:19-20 1:20 1:20 1:21 1:21-22 1:24 1:24 1:26 1:26 1:26 2:2 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:3 2:10 2:11 2:12 2:12 2:13-14 2:14 2:14 2:14-15 2:16 2:16-17 2:17 2:17 2:17 2:19 2:20 2:20-21 2:23 2:23 3:1 3:1 3:1-2 3:2 3:3 3:3 3:4 3:5 3:6 3:10 3:10 3:11 3:14 3:14 3:14 3:16 3:19 3:24 3:25 4:3 4:17 1 Thessalonians 1:5 2:13 2:18 2:20 3:5 3:12 3:13 4:3 4:4 4:5 4:7 4:7 4:15 4:16 4:16 4:16-17 5:2 5:9 5:17-18 5:19 ”
  17. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 98: 3:8 3:9 3:9 3:9 3:20 3:20 3:21 3:21 4:11 4:18 Colossians 1:18 1:20 1:27 1:27 2:10 2:10 2:12 2:14 2:16 2:19 2:19 3:3 3:4 3:4 3:4 3:10 3:20 1871 1 Thessalonians 1:10 2:10 2:19 3:13 4:15-17 4:15-17 4:16 5:1 5:2 5:23 14:4 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 1:7 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:9 2 2:1-3 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:2 2:4 2:7 3:6 1 Timothy 1:12 2:4 2:4 2:5 2:6 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:16 3:16 3:16 4:1 4:3 5:14 6:14 2 Timothy 1:10 1:12 3:15 3:16 3:17 4:1 4:8 Titus 1:5 1:6 1:6 1:6 2:13 2:14 2:14 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:10 Hebrews 1:1-14 1:3 1:3 2:1-18 2:4 2:4 2:”
  18. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 11:9: (Compare Psa 35:16; Dan 11:32). The just is saved by superior discernment.”
  19. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 32: chiefly for the sake of mankind that the world was made, we must look to this as the end which God has in view in the government of it. The prophet Jeremiah exclaims, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps,” ( Jer. 10:23 ). Solomon again says, “Man’s goings are of the Lord: how can a man then understand his own way?” ( Prov. 20:24 ). Will it now be said that man is moved by God according to the bent of his nature, but that man himself gives the movement any direction”
  20. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 38: they have ceased to be pure to polluted man, lest he should by their means obtain any praise. 17. The sum of the whole is this: From a general survey of the human race, it appears that one of the essential properties of our nature is reason, which distinguishes us from the lower animals, just as these by means of sense are distinguished from inanimate objects. For although some individuals are born without reason, that defect does not impair the general kindness of God, but rather serves to remind us, that whatever we retain ought ”
  21. Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 43:11: Observe here, I. Jacob's persuasibleness. He would be ruled by reason, though they were his inferiors that urged it. He saw the necessity of the case; and, since there was no remedy, he consented to yield to the necessity (Gen 43:11): "If it must be so now, take your brother. If no corn can be had but upon those terms, we may as well expose him to the perils of the journey as suffer ourselves and families, and Benjamin amongst the rest, to perish for want of bread." Skin for skin, and all that a man has, even a Benjamin, the dearest of all, will he give for his ”
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